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Episode 1537 (25 November 1997)
Synopsis Ian's kids are being horrendously unruly again, and Kathy is helping out, when Annie arrives and gives Ian a letter. Ian takes it from Kathy and looks guilty as he refuses to open it with her present. Ricky and Bianca both skived off work after the hospital appointment, so they're in trouble with everyone. Bianca is sulking in bed and refusing to go out. Michael whinges to Mark about her unreliability and says it's her last chance, she knows that he can't keep her stall after 7. Robbie turns up at Bianca's and asks for his money - Ricky says Bianca is ill, and Robbie says that he had to stay there for the whole afternoon and was promised 6 quid for a couple of hours, but he even had to pack up the stall, so he wants overtime. Ricky says he only has 20 quid, and Robbie takes it and says thanks and dashes off. Ricky tries to talk to Bianca, saying that they have to hurry up as she's already 20 weeks gone. He tells Sonia to go out and not bother Bianca, but Sonia is worried because she dropped Bianca's perfume and thinks it's the cause of Bianca's annoyance with her, so, she goes in to her bedroom and tries to cheer her up. This proves to be a huge mistake, as Bianca is looking at her most repulsively ugly, with the multitude of unsightly brown spots all over her face enhanced further by the huge red blotches to indicate that she's crying. Sonia takes one look at this hideous sight and proclaims that Bianca's definitely ill, and she runs off, probably terrified by the sight. Ricky turns up late for work and Phil tells him he has a cheek, he was supposed to go back to work and work through until late to finish off after he had all that time off. Ricky looks about to burst into tears and Phil asks what's up. Ricky tells him, and Phil says at least they know and can get rid of it. Ricky says Bianca won't even think of it and he's not sure either. Phil asks what the damage is, and Ricky says wheelchair, probably not even capable of speech, etc. Phil says he would be choosing a lifetime of grief, and what sort of life could the child have, and Bianca will see sense when she's calmed down. Ricky looks confused and says he can't think about things like Phil, it's all mush inside his head. He says Bianca will have to decide since she's the one carrying it. Nigel turns up and asks if it's a boy or girl, and when Ricky says a girl, he says great, that's 20 quid you owe me Phil. Ian goes to see Annie about the letter, and says of course he will accept, it's a peach of a deal, how can he refuse, but what's in it for her? Annie says his expertise - she knows nothing about the food business. While he is in her office, he gets a call that he immediately interrupts with "No way, I'm not letting that cow anywhere near my kids." and he slams the phone down - or would if it were not a mobile. Later he sees his solicitor who says the children have a right to see her, so she will eventually be able to force him to allow her to see them unless he can prove she is a threat to them. Mark's trying to persuade Ruth to go out with him for an evening without Jessie, but Ruth won't hear of it, and refuses to allow anyone but Pauline to baby-sit. Grant turns up at Bianca's unannounced after Sonia's left, and Bianca has to answer the door. Grant apologises for getting her out of bed when she's ill, but asks if she can babysit Courtney. Bianca says no, and Grant says it's just because I'm asking isn't it? If Tiffany asked you, you'd jump at the chance - she's no trouble, you can just pop her in your cot and she'll be fine. Bianca is finally worn down by Grant's insistence and tells him. He advises her to discuss it with Ricky, they have to decide together, and it makes no difference what he says. Bianca says Ricky is no use - he won't decide anything, she always ends up making all the decisions. Grant replies that she obviously likes it like that, because Tiff told him about her first reaction which was to have an abortion without even telling Ricky. He says she has to give Ricky a chance to help. Pat arrives shortly afterwards to pick up Jacques, as Ricky has thoughtfully arranged for her to look after him for a few days. She asks to see the nursery, and chatters away until she realises that Bianca is not responding and she asks what's wrong. Bianca tells her, and Pat gives her practical and sensible advice, saying that she has to face reality, and keep it at what cost? To her, her marriage, and she can always have another because she's still young. Robbie decides that he needs another job, and asks Ian. Ian says no, but Robbie promises to do the worst job he can possibly think of and will charge less than anyone else. He says Ian is a businessman - how can he refuse a deal like that? Ian says OK, you can clean out the fish fryers. Robbie does a revolting afternoon's work, and then asks Ian for some money later in the Vic. Ian says, OK, 5 pounds. Robbie is horrified, and Ian says he promised to do it cheaper than anyone else, and first rule of business - fix the price before! Robbie asks for 25 quid and Ian says ten, tops. Robbie says OK, but 5 now. Ian says, sorry I've only got a 50! He hands it over the bar as he gets a pint. Phil tells Ricky to go home for lunch and sort it out, while he goes to the Vic. Grant asks him how Ricky is, and Phil says not good, how did you know? Grant says he saw Bianca, and they both say how terrible it would have been if it were Ben or Courtney. Ricky goes home to find Bianca asleep so he goes back to work. Annie has another letter - for Phil. He finds a membership card, and asks what he has done to deserve this - free membership for a year. She says nothing, it is just a gift, a mark of her esteem. Ian tells Kathy about the restaurant, and she is furious. He says it is not the same business as hers. Kathy says, in her simple way, it's cooking and selling food, what's the difference? She also says that Ian has an obvious conflict of interest as he is asking her not to tell the residents' association, and when they find out they will think he fixed it. Ian says this is the one good thing that has happened to him for ages so can't Kathy do this for him? Ricky stays at the Arches late, and Bianca turns up to see him eventually. She says she wants to talk, and the only way to do it is to be totally straight with each other - say what they want. If they want different things, then they will have to discuss it. Ricky says OK, and that he thinks about their daughter, and has a picture, but it's not real, not the wheelchairs and continual hospital visits, and he doesn't think he can cope for the rest of his life. He doesn't think he wants to. Bianca says she thinks he's right and that's it then. Credits Main cast *Ian Beale - Adam Woodyatt *Steven Beale - Stuart Stevens *Peter Beale - Alex Stevens *Lucy Beale - Casey Anne Rothery *Kathy Mitchell - Gillian Taylforth *Bianca Butcher - Patsy Palmer *Michael Rose - Russell Floyd *Ricky Butcher - Sid Owen *Mark Fowler - Todd Carty *Robbie Jackson - Dean Gaffney *Sonia Jackson - Natalie Cassidy *Phil Mitchell - Steve McFadden *Nigel Bates - Paul Bradley *Annie Palmer - Nadia Sawalha *Ruth Fowler - Caroline Paterson *Grant Mitchell - Ross Kemp *Pat Evans - Pam St. Clement Category:Episode Category:1997 Episodes